ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13497, 25 May 1907, Page 5 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

J" [from the society faipzbs.] | Quern* AIxXAXmJk, : ' who makes no secrefc iof her leanings toward the high rather than the low church, is probably responsible for the exclusion of all meat from the Royal tables on Good Friday. So decided are Her Majesty's views on this question, that it is said that on one occasion, when Princess of jWales, she severely and effectually protested [against sitting at the same table as a. meatj loving foreign monarch who, during tuo Holy Week, was their guest. « •

Lady Harberton, who has testified in practical loshion her sympathy with the agitation for woman's suffrage, was a prominent supporter of the rational dress movement some years ago.' The daughter of an Irish squire, the late Air. Wallace. Legge, of County Antrim, she married Viscount llarberton nearly titty years ago, but she has retained in a remarkable- degree the charm of youth. She is the mother of the [two stalwart officers, Captain Ernest" ami iCaptain Ralph I'oinery, wiio were both educated at Charterhouse, and who, like so many old Carthusians, did great deeds in the South African War. It is interesting to recall in this connection that Lord Harberton was the first cousin of Sit George Romeroy Colley, who fell on the stricken field ui Majuba.

t The Duchess of Sutherland and her niece, Miss Chaplin, have been living laborious days in Stornaway and Harris in the interests of the Scottish Home Industries Association. The - duchess has interviewed dozens of peasant workers and homespur dealers as to the lines on which the tweed industry can be best carried on. She sounded a grave note of warning to those workers who are trying to impose inferior or ma-chine-made goods on the association. The duchess, who was the guest of Major and Mrs. Matheson at Lewes Castle, imported & couple of motor-cars to take her party about the islands. Speaking at a concert in Stornoway she regretfully explained that she herself did not speak Gaelic, having spent her childhood in the Kingdom of Fife, and having found herself too witless to leanwhen set adrift it Sutherland. ' ..

■; " The Bishop of Bristol, who recently complained of the inadequacy of his income, rides regularly on the Bristol tramway because he does Hot keep a carriage. When Archbishop Benson was raised to the Primacy," says ft writer in The Quiver, '"the incongruity; of the first, clergyman in England' driving to church in a gilt coach to beg for money on behalf of; the. 'Sons of the Clergy'—a charitable corporation which holds' an annual festival in St, Paul's Cathedral—struck the Primate so forcibly that the practice was discontinued. ..' This State coach is still preserved ir the stables of Lambeth Palace, and it is of interest to note that its predecessor was sold at a very low figure, and did duty as a hearse! ,'..' The state harness, now sadly decayed, was exceptionally handsome. Only a landau and a closed brougham are now used by his grace." .

No living prince, not actually a sovereign, has had so much experience in the art of governing as the Crown Prince of Sweden, who several: times has been called upon to act as Regent for lys father. The Prince, now in his forty-ninth year, is about six months older than the German EnVperor, to whose second cousin, Princess Victoria of Baden, he was married in 1881. His Royal Highness, unlike his poet-father, is an enthusiastic soldier, 1 end honorary colonel of several* regiments.'- When ihe c was first married he took "■ his bride to the ; headquarters of the regiment of which he was then acting colonel, ; and • said, " Gentlemen, the colonel in command of; the : regiment desires to introduce his wife to the regiment." The charming young; Princess was received with rounds of applause, and the name of " The Colonel's Wife" has stuck to her ever since.

': Queen Marguerite of Italy has won the hearts of her, poorer , subjects wholly and solely on account of her never-failing lovingkindness. Although she rarely' subscribes toward ordinary charities, she goes amongst the poor and the needy and finds out for herself their particular wants. She takes a special delight >in making, presents of beds,to the poor. These beds are all made after the same style/ and are -so familiar that ' no dealer dare r take , them ?in pledge ■or purchase. ; Her. Majesty, has - always ■ been popular, but the facts of a little .incident that occurred the other day have considerably enhanced her popularity. % Her Majesty, the King, and a hunting • party, were sitting round the camp fire when an equerry, in a fit of bravado, took a leap over the fire, and set his clothes alight.- All;lost 1 , their presence of mind. However, Her Majesty flung herself upon the burning man, and ? so enveloped him in her • skirt*, that the flames were extinguished, the victim escaping with severe burns.

A mention of the present Duchess off Roxburghe reminds one, says M.A.P., that the most beautiful and brilliant of ducal dowagers at the present moment is Consuelo Duchess of Manchester, who, though nominally an American, is really of Cuban birth, and whose marriage to the then Lord Mandeville was a great romance; and ■in no sense "arranged." Even as Signorita Consuelo Yzanga, the future duchess had been. widely noted for 'her peculiar and l unusual stylo of beauty, and as Lady Mandeville she took all British hearts by storm, for her Southern type of loveliness was f hew to* London society in the seventies, and she had the caressing, charming Creole ways which are of Spanish rather than. of American origin. Her Grace enjoyed but for a very short time full ; ducal honours, for' her husband died while still ion what it is * the fashion to call the right side of forty, leaving her with her fourteen-year-old son and the lovely daughters, so soon ; christened "The Heavenly Twins,"; whose death in early girlhood was the great tragedy of their, mother's life. • "' , • .

Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson, who recently retired from his position as Commander-in-Chief of the Channel Fleet, has been associated with the navy for nearly 52 years. As a midshipman he took part "in the Crimean and China war*, ana shared in the Egyptian campaign of 1882. Admiral Wilson is the inventor of ; double-barrelled , torpedo tubes. He gained 'the Victoria Cross at El Teb, where he was present .with the Naval Brigade. There was a gap in ■ the \ square, and five or six of the enemy, seeing it, rushed forward, attempting to' pierce the ranks. Then Captain Wilson advanced to meet them alone, and, breaking his sword in his effort to cut one of them down, would not retire a step, but held his ground, knocking them down with his fists. ; Either by a miracle or the surprising nature of the at- ; tack, he escaped with a few wounds, and the square, closing up, rescued him. He was presented, with a sword by the torpedo officers of the torpedo school ship Vernon in admiration of his gallantry.

A very important little personage is Lady Ursula . Grosvenor, only daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Westminster, but, in spite of the dignity of her five years, she is now somewnat less important" than she was during the first eighteen months or so oi; her.; life when, she occupied ..very . muchthe position now held by little Lady Rachel Howard, only child of the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk. Lady Ursula was born in Londonat Grosvenor House—but most of her little life has been spent at Eaton Hall, Cheshire, where she has numerous pets, including a pony. " She has the love of horses and dogs that is so marked in her family, and already she bids fair to become a firstrate horsewoman The birth of little Karl Grosvenor diminished, it is true, Lady Ursula's social importance, but she will ■■imer i* have cause to regret it. To her small ladyship the possession of a brother is "f more value than a little extra dignity, and, soci- - ally .she will, have nothing to desire. The ~ women of the great ducal !iouj?o to which she belongs are famous for beauty; and Lady Ursula is connected through her aunt with the Roval family, for she is.cousin to the Duke and Duchess of Tcck's children,■ who are first cousins to Prince Edward of Wales. A first cousin of Lady Ursula, the . little son, ot Princess Henry of Pless, has ? King Edward and the German Emperor for pa rents, -and is himself a future SereneHighness., ' >